Nape drying assembly for a hair dryer

ABSTRACT

A hollow nape drying assembly is mounted on a hollow main portion of a hair dryer. Main openings in a plate portion of the nape drying assembly can be aligned with openings in an outer wall of the main portion of the hair dryer. There are inwardly directed air discharge openings in the plate portion spaced from the main openings. The nape drying assembly can be held in an operative position with the main openings in the plate portion aligned with the openings in the outer wall portion so that warm air can be directed through the nape drying assembly, in an inoperative position in which the main openings in the plate portion are out of alignment with the openings in the outer wall portion, and in an intermediate position.

[111 3,802,092 [45] Apr. 9, 1974 NAPE DRYING ASSEMBLY FOR A HAIR DRYER [75] Inventor: Carl E. Meyerhoefer, Little Neck,

[73] Assignee: ReuIon-Realistic Professional Products, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio 22 Filed: Feb.8, 1973 211 Appl. No.: 330,600

540,355 4/1930 Germany 34/99 Primary Examiner-John J. Camby Assistant Examiner-James C. Yeung Attorney, Agent, or Firm-James W. Pearce; Ray F. Schaeperklaus 5 7] ABSTRACT A hollow nape drying assembly is mounted on a hollow main portion of a hair dryer. Main openings in a plate portion of the nape drying assembly can be aligned with openings in an outer wall of the main portion of the hair dryer. There are inwardly directed air discharge openings in the plate portion spaced from the main openings. The nape drying assembly can be held in an operative position with the main openings in the plate portion aligned with the openings in the outer wall portion so that warm air can be directed through the nape drying assembly, in an inoperative position in which the main openings in the plate portion are out of alignment with the openings in the outer wall portion, and in an intermediate position.

4 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures NAPE DRYING ASSEMBLY FOR A HAIR DRYER This invention relates to hair dryers. More particularly, this invention relates to a hood type hair dryer having a nape drying attachment.

An object of this invention is to provide a hair dryer which has a portion for directing warm air toward the nape of the neck.

A further object of this invention is to provide such a hair dryer in which the nape drying portion can be rendered inoperative when drying short hair.

A further object of this invention is to provide such a device in which the nape drying portion can be held in an intermediate position for directing a controlled amount of warm air toward the nape of the neck.

Briefly, this invention provides a hair dryer which includes a hollow, nape drying assembly mounted on a rear portion of a main hair dryer housing. Openings in the nape drying assembly can overlie openingsin a return bent flange of an inner portion of the hair dryer housing to permit passage of warm air from the main hair dryer housing into the nape drying assembly. Inwardly directed openings in the nape drying assembly direct the warm air inwardly. The nape drying assembly is slidably mounted so that it can be moved to an inoperative position in which a plate member of the nape drying assembly overlies the openings in the return bent flange to close the openings of the return bent flange and to an intermediate position at which a controlled amount of warm air is projected through the nape drying assembly.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains from the following detailed description and the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dryer hood constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention, a nape drying portion thereof being shown in raised position;

FIG. 2 is a view in section of the dryer hood shown in FIG. 1, an inlet conduit being shown in association therewith;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view in rear elevation of the dryer hood on an enlarged scale with the nape drying portion being shown in raised position, supports thereof being shown in section;

FIG. 4 is a view in section taken on the line 4-4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view in section taken on the line 5-5 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view in rear elevation of the dryer hood with the nape drying portion being shown in an intermediate position, supports thereof being shown in section;

FIG. 7 is a view in section taken on the line 7-7 in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view in rear elevation of the dryer hood with the nape drying portion being shown in a lowered position, supports thereof being shown in section;

FIG. 9 is a view in section taken on the line 9-9 in FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 is a view in section taken on the line l0-l0 in FIG. 8.

In the following detailed description and the drawings, like reference characters indicate like parts.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 is shown a dryer hood 22 including a dome shaped outer member 23 and a generally dome shaped inner member 24. The inner member 24 is provided with a plurality of air outlet openings or perforations 26 (FIG. 2). The inner member 24 is also provided with a return bent portion 27. Flanges 28 and 29 (FIG. 8) on the outer member 23 and on the return bent portion 27, respectively, are held in engagement by a connecting band 31 of channel shape in section with the return bent portion aligned with the outer dome shaped member 23. The outer dome shaped member 23 and the return bent portion 27 form the outer wall of the dryer hood. Warm air is introduced into a space 32 (FIG. 2) between the dome shaped members 23 and 24 through a conduit 33 and an opening 34 in the dome shaped member 23. The warm air is discharged through the openings or perforations 26.

A nape drying assembly 36 is mounted on a rear section of the return bent portion 27. The nape drying assembly 36 includes a plate member 38 (FIGS. 3, 4 and 5), which fits flatwise against the return bent portion 27 and is slidable thereon between positions shown in FIGS. 4, 7 and 9. A hood member 39 is attached to the plate member- 38 to define a space 41 therebetween. The hood member 39 is generally cup shaped and includes a back wall 42 spaced from the plate member 38 and side walls 43, 44 (FIGS. 5 and 10), 46 and 47 (FIGS. 4, 7 and 9), which extend from the back wall 42 to the plate member 38. An outwardly extending continuous peripheral flange 49 on the walls 43, 44, 46, and 47 is adhesively attached to the plate member 38.

Supporting bolts 51, 51 (FIG. 1), 52 and 52' (FIG. 4) are mounted in the inner dome shaped member 24 and extend through slots 53 (FIG. 1) and 54 (FIGS. 3, 6 and 8), respectively, in the plate member 38. When the nape drying assembly 36 is in the lowered position shownin FIG. 8, upper ends of the slots are engagedby the bolts 51 and 52 in the manner the bolt 52 is shown in FIG. 8. When the nape drying assembly 36 is in the raised position shown in FIG. 3, the nape drying assembly 36 is held in position by friction between the plate member 38 and the return bent portion 27. When the nape drying assembly 36 is in an intermediate position shown in FIG. 6, the bolts 51 and 52 are received in detent sections of the slots, one of which is indicated at 56 in FIGS. 3, 6 and 8. The material of the plate member 38 can be resilient. Relief slots 61 (FIG. 1) and 62 (FIG. 3) are provided adjacent the slots 53 and 54 so that detent carrying sides of the slots 53 and 54 can yield as the nape drying assembly 36 is raised and low ered.

A row of openings 64 is provided in the return bent portion 27 underlying the plate member 38. A similar row of openings 66 is provided in the plate member 38. The row of openings 66 in the plate member 38 is offset from the row of openings in the return bent portion 27 when the nape drying assembly 36 is in the raised position of FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 so that the openings 64 in the return bent portion 27 are closed when the nape drying assembly is in the raised position. When the nape drying assembly 36 is in the lowered position of FIGS. 8, 9 and 10, the openings of the row of openings 66 in the plate member 38 are aligned with the openings of the row of openings 64 in the return bent portion so that warm air from the space 32 (FIG. 2) between the inner and outer dome shaped members can pass into the interior of the nape drying assembly 36. Inwardly directed openings 71 (FIGS. 6 and 8) are provided in the lower portion of the plate member 38 below the return bent portion 27 when the nape drying assembly 36 is in lowered position through which the warm air is projected toward the nape of the neck (not shown) of a person whose hair is dried in the dryer hood.

When the nape drying assembly 36 is in the intermediate position shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the openings 64 and 66 partially overlap and a reduced or controlled amount of warm air is discharged through the openings 71. At the intermediate point, the bolts 51 and 52' are received in the detent sections 56 in the manner the bolt 52 is shown in FIG. 6.

The dryer hood of this invention is particularly useful in drying long hair which extends well down overlying the back of the neck. For drying such hair, the nape drying assembly is lowered to the position shown in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10, or to the intermediate position of FIGS. 6 and 7. However, during drying of shorter hair, the nape drying assembly can be raised to the position shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and so that warm air is not unnecessarily directed toward the neck of a short haired person.

The dryer hood construction illustrated in the drawings and described above is subject to structural modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by letters patent, is:

1. In combination with a hollow dryer hood having a main portion including spaced dome-shaped walls defining an air chamber therebetween, a hollow enclosed plenum chamber nape drying assembly, means for slidably mounting the nape drying assembly on an outer wall of the main portion, there being main openings in the outer wall and in a wall of the nape drying assembly adjacent the outer wall which are aligned when the nape drying assembly is in an operative position, there being inwardly directed discharge openings in the nape drying assembly below the main openings through which air from the air chamber is directed through the nape drying assembly to be discharged below the main portion when the nape drying assembly is in operative position, the nape drying assembly being movable to an inoperative position in which the main openings are out of alignment.

2. A combination as in claim 1 wherein the main portion includes an inner wall member provided with a return bent outer wall portion and the nape drying assembly is mounted on the return bent outer wall portion.

3. A combination as in claim 1 wherein the means for mounting the nape drying assembly on the main portion includes fasteners mounted in the main portion and extending outwardly thereof through slots in the nape drying assembly, there being detent sections in the slots for holding the nape drying assembly in a selected position.

4. A hollow enclosed plenum chamber nape drying assembly for a hair dryer having a hollow main portion with a substantially cylindrical outer wall portion which comprises a substantially cylindrical plate portion engageable flatwise with the cylindrical outer wall portion, a housing overlying the plate portion to form a chamber therebetween, main openings in the plate portion alignable with openings in the outer wall portion, inwardly directed air discharge openings in the plate portion spaced from the main openings, and means for supporting the nape drying assembly in an operative position with the main openings in the plate portion aligned with the openings in the outer wall portion and in an inoperative position in which the main openings in the plate portion are out of alignment with the openings in the outer wall portion.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

On the eover page [73] the assignee should read Revlon-Realistic Professional Products, Kline. Cincinnati,

Ohio

Signed and sealed this 24th day of September 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

MCCOY M. GIBSON JR.

Attesting Officer C. MARSHALL DANN Commissioner of Patents USCOMM-DC 60376-P69 roam PO-105O (Io-c9) U5 GOVERNMEHY FRIN NG ()ITICE' 9, 30 

1. In combination with a hollow dryer hood having a main portion including spaced dome-shaped walls defining an air chamber therebetween, a hollow enclosed plenum chamber nape drying assembly, means for slidably mounting the nape drying assembly on an outer wall of the main portion, there being main openings in the outer wall and in a wall of the nape drying assembly adjacent the outer wall which are aligned when the nape drying assembly is in an operative position, there being inwardly directed discharge openings in the nape drying assembly below the main openings through which air from the air chamber is directed through the nape drying assembly to be discharged below the main portion when the nape drying assembly is in operative position, the nape drying assembly being movable to an inoperative position in which the main openings are out of alignment.
 2. A combination as in claim 1 wherein the main portion includes an inner wall member provided with a return bent outer wall portion and the nape drying assembly is mounted on the return bent outer wall portion.
 3. A combination as in claim 1 wherein the means for mounting the nape drying assembly on the main portion includes fasteners mounted in the main portion and extending outwardly thereof through slots in the nape drying assembly, there being detent sections in the slots for holding the nape drying assembly in a selected position.
 4. A hollow enclosed plenum chamber nape drying assembly for a hair dryer having a hollow main portion with a substantially cylindrical outer wall portion which comprises a substantially cylindrical plate portion engageable flatwise with the cylindrical outer wall portion, a housing overlying the plate portion to form a chamber therebetween, main openings in the plate portion alignable with openings in the outer wall portion, inwardly directed air discharge openings in the plate portion spaced from the main openings, and means for supporting the nape drying assembly in an operative position with the main openings in the plate portion aligned with the openings in the outer wall portion and in an inoperative position in which the main openings in the plate portion are out of alignment with the openings in the outer wall portion. 